Dress Code

Sam has become very particular about what he wants to wear.  It started as him just pitching a fit when we tried to get him dressed in the morning, so I finally would pull out two acceptable items and offer him a "choice."  Then it morphed into Sam only wearing khakis or light grey pants (no jeans, dark cords, navy, etc).  On top he prefers anything with trucks, engines, heavy construction equipment.  This limits things, until you build a wardrobe of serious vehicle attire, which we now have.
The problem we are encountering (other than drawers full of unworn clothing), is that it is now cold out and khakis are usually spring wear, so not designed for cold weather use.  Chris also bought Sam a cool pair of fire engine pajamas, that if he sees he has to wear, day or night.
Most of our Christmas photos involve these jammies.  The only way to make them warm, is to layer, but the pajamas have to be visible.  Today he kind of looks homeless.  Fire engine pajama bottoms, with khaki  shorts over them, a onesie, and a t-shirt with monster truck.  I'm not really sure what look we're going for here.  And this kid isn't two yet.  I'm just thinking that if he was a girl, I'd be in trouble when he was  teenager.  I figure if he's warm, I'm not fighting this battle, particularly in the morning before work.  Please excuse his fashion sense.

Sam's Christmas Eve outfit.  Fire engine pajamas with khaki pants rolled up over them.

Boys on the Bench

"Maybe if we stand here we can throw all of Nana's decorations on the floor."

More Tree Trouble

Our tree is finally up and decorated.  It was a process, that required a new tree stand, new lights, and then trying to accomplish the completing of the decorations with a 20 month old who was only interested periodically.  He also had to be taught that the bulbs were not balls.

I had a conversation with my mother the other day, that was along the lines of, "oh no, Sam is really good around the tree.  A full size tree should be fine in the living room on Christmas day."
So they put up their full size tree.

I picked Sam up at daycare yesterday and the daycare teachers told me that Sam and two of his friends had knocked down the Christmas tree.
Not to be a mom in denial (we have lots of those at school), but it sounded like it really was more the other boys and Sam was kind of there.
She showed pointed out how the lights on the upper half of the tree were no longer working.  Meanwhile, Sam and his friend Joey we completely avoiding looking at the adults (the third boy was sleeping).
From the snippets of what Sam has volunteered,
"Joey, Sammy JUMP!!!"
"twee down.  CRASH!  Oh, mess.  Sawah (Sarah the owner) fix wights!"
"Oh, twee down!  Joey cry."
Sam tells us this all very matter-of-factly, in the same conversations as "play cars!"
On the other hand, why is there a tree that is capable of falling down at daycare where the kids are playing?  Perhaps that is the greater concern.

I don't know how common it is to have falling Christmas trees, but Sam's auntie infamously knocked one down she was about five.  It was around the same time we were watching a lot of the Muppets, and Miss Piggy would karate-chop when she was angry.  Tess karate-chopped the tree, and the tree fell.  My friend and I were supposed to be babysitting.  So I fully blame this incident on his auntie.

Christmas Tree Decorating

Christmas Decorations

We get out occasionally sans baby ; )  This past weekend was a birthday celebration for a friend, held at the Liberty Hotel in Boston.  The building was formerly built as a jail.  Eventually it was bought and renovated, and is now a hotel with restaurants and bars.  These Christmas trees hang upside in the lobby, about six stories high.  It's a very cool sight.

Tree Trouble

We got our tree relatively early this year (for us).  However, it didn't get in the house until last night.  And when it did, Chris was out of patience and it was a very quick placement of the tree in the stand and screwing it into place.  Considering our house is slightly slanted (think a ball placed on the floor will roll towards the back of the house), the tree has to be skewed in the other direction.
Tonight I got home at 6 pm and Chris, who had had Sam since 3:30, went back to work.  After dinner I decided to put the lights on the tree, with Sam "helping."  The tree immediately tilted to one side, which I caught.
Sam: "Ohhh... twee."
I propped it against the wall and got down on my hands and knees to adjust the screws.
Sam didn't like this, "No!  Mama!  Out!  No twee!"
Me:  "No, it's okay Sam, Mama likes this.  Fun game!"
Sam:  "Mama, NO!  Twee, NO!"
The tree flopped to one side and I tried to hold it with one hand and screw with the other.  There is a reason two people do this job.
Me:  "Sammy, back-up.  Go play in living room.  Mama fix tree."
Sam:  "Sammy help."
Me:  "Sammy help in living room."  (mouthful of pine)
Sam disappears and returns with the cat who is meowing.  "Mama fix twee!"
Me:  "Yes, mama. fix. tree."
Cat:  "Meow, meow, meow."
Sam disappears and returns with plastic hammer and screwdriver.
Sam:  "Sam help fix!"
Sam crawls under the tree with his screwdriver and yells, "stuck!"  Then crawls out and walks around the hall banging things with the hammer and saying, "stuck!"  Hmmm.  (I really only said bad words under my breath).
After ten minutes of me adjusting the screws and the tree flopping from one side to the other, I gave up, propped it against the wall again and decided to wait until Chris got home.  Now there is a lopsided, half lit Christmas tree in the hall, which Sam occasionally walks by and bangs with his hammer and yells, "stuck!"

"Park"

We have a very routine oriented child.  He likes to have everything in order in the morning.
We usually get Sam changed and dressed & he has a bottle, I take a shower, and get dressed.  ("Samuel dress.  Mama show-a, mama dress.")
On the weekends our routine is usually to get up and out, get me a coffee and go to a playground, which Sam calls the "park."  Yesterday I got him dressed and was starting laundry, we were going out to breakfast with friends.  Sam, out of his routine, came to direct me, "Mama, show-a!  Mama dwess!"  When I was organized and got a few things done around the house, I got dressed.  Sam appeared with the car keys.
"Mama keys, park!"

Favorite Student Quotes & Moments so Far This Year

Teacher:  "Name two things  you would take on the Mayflower."
3rd grade student:  "Well, one would be my imaginary friend, so I wouldn't get bored..."


Teacher:  "We need a general statement that introduces a paper about you.  It should lead into you telling three things you enjoy or participate in."
4th grade student:  "Here are three ways I make a living."
Teacher:  "Um, so you work?  You have jobs?"
Student:  "What?"


5th grade student:  "Oh yeah!  I totally get that.  It's just like my imaginary pet unicorn!"


4th grade student:  (on writing a paper about something he is thankful for).  "So really, what is 
Thanksgiving anyway?  It's not like a real holiday.  It was just created to make more work for kids at school.  That's the only reason it's around."

Reading question in a book about the history and science of flight:"How long do you think a pilot trains for and why would they train for that amount of time?"
4th grade student's written answer:  3 + 5 years.  In case they would be confused about what they are doing.
Question:  "What makes a plane lift of the ground?"
Student"s written answer:  "Gas + motor = maybe."


Student:  "So we didn't get to go apple picking after all."
Teacher:  "Oh, that's too bad."
Student:  "Yah, that's what happens when mom says to use the GPS and dad doesn't listen."






*Note:  This is the result of me sitting down at  8 pm to work on report cards.